(h) (1) An individual shall be entitled to an annual open enrollment period lasting 30 days or more, commencing with the individual’s birthday, during which time that person may purchase any Medicare supplement policy that offers benefits equal to or lesser than those provided by the previous coverage. During this open enrollment period, no issuer that falls under this provision shall deny or condition the issuance or effectiveness of Medicare supplement coverage, nor discriminate in the pricing of coverage, because of health status, claims experience, receipt of health care, or medical condition of the individual if, at the time of the open enrollment period, the individual is covered under another Medicare supplement policy or contract. An issuer shall notify a policyholder of his or her rights under this subdivision at least 30 and no more than 60 days before the beginning of the open enrollment period.,

(1) With respect to the guaranteed issue of a Medicare supplement policy, eligible persons are those individuals described in subdivision (b) who seek to enroll under the policy during the period specified in subdivision (c), and who submit evidence of the date of termination or disenrollment or enrollment in Medicare Part D with the application for a Medicare supplement policy.

(2) With respect to eligible persons, an issuer shall not take any of the following actions:

(A) Deny or condition the issuance or effectiveness of a Medicare supplement policy described in subdivision (e) that is offered and is available for issuance to new enrollees by the issuer.

(B) Discriminate in the pricing of that Medicare supplement policy because of health status, claims experience, receipt of health care, or medical condition.

(C) Impose an exclusion of benefits based on a preexisting condition under that Medicare supplement policy.

(b) An eligible person is an individual described in any of the following paragraphs:

(1) The individual is enrolled under an employee welfare benefit plan that provides health benefits that supplement the benefits under Medicare and either of the following applies:

(A) The plan either terminates or ceases to provide all of those supplemental health benefits to the individual.

(B) The employer no longer provides the individual with insurance that covers all of the payment for the 20-percent coinsurance.

(g) “Employee welfare benefit plan” means a plan, fund, or program of employee benefits as defined in Section 1002 of Title 29 of the United States Code (Employee Retirement Income Security Act). erisa

(1) The terms “employee welfare benefit plan” and “welfare plan” mean any plan, fund, or program which was heretofore or is hereafter established or maintained by an employer or by an employee organization, or by both, to the extent that such plan, fund, or program was established or is maintained for the purpose of providing for its participants or their beneficiaries, through the purchase of insurance or otherwise, (A) medical, surgical, or hospital care or benefits, or benefits in the event of sickness, accident, disability, death or unemployment, or vacation benefits, apprenticeship or other training programs, or day care centers, scholarship funds, or prepaid legal services, or (B) any benefit described in section 186(c) of this title (other than pensions on retirement or death, and insurance to provide such pensions).

(2) The individual is enrolled with a Medicare Advantage organization under a Medicare Advantage plan under Medicare Part C, and any of the following circumstances apply:

(A) The certification of the organization or plan has been terminated.

(B) The organization has terminated or otherwise discontinued providing the plan in the area in which the individual resides.

(C) The individual is no longer eligible to elect the plan because of a change in the individual’s place of residence or other change in circumstances specified by the secretary. Those changes in circumstances shall not include termination of the individual’s enrollment on the basis described in Section 1851(g)(3)(B) of the federal Social Security Act where the individual has not paid premiums on a timely basis or has engaged in disruptive behavior as specified in standards under Section 1856 of the federal Social Security Act, or the plan is terminated for all individuals within a residence area.

(D)

(i) The Medicare Advantage plan in which the individual is enrolled reduces any of its benefits or increases the amount of cost sharing or premium or discontinues for other than good cause relating to quality of care its relationship or contract under the plan with a provider who is currently furnishing services to the individual. An individual shall be eligible under this subparagraph for a Medicare supplement policy issued by the same issuer through which the individual was enrolled at the time the reduction, increase, or discontinuance described above occurs or, commencing January 1, 2007, for one issued by a subsidiary of the parent company of that issuer or by a network that contracts with the parent company of that issuer. If no Medicare supplement policy is available to the individual from the same issuer, a subsidiary of the parent company of the issuer, or a network that contracts with the parent company of the issuer, the individual shall be eligible for a Medicare supplement policy pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) issued by any issuer, if the Medicare Advantage plan in which the individual is enrolled does any of the following:

(IV) Discontinues, for other than good cause relating to quality of care, its relationship or contract under the plan with a provider who is currently furnishing services to the individual.

(ii) Enrollment in a Medicare supplement policy from an issuer unaffiliated with the issuer of the Medicare Advantage plan in which the individual is enrolled shall be permitted only during the annual election period for a Medicare Advantage plan, except where the Medicare Advantage plan has discontinued its relationship with a provider currently furnishing services to the individual. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize an individual to enroll in a group Medicare supplement policy if the individual does not meet the eligibility requirements for the group.

(E) The individual demonstrates, in accordance with guidelines established by the secretary, either of the following:

(i) The organization offering the plan substantially violated a material provision of the organization’s contract under this article in relation to the individual, including the failure to provide on a timely basis medically necessary care for which benefits are available under the plan or the failure to provide the covered care in accordance with applicable quality standards.

(ii) The organization, or agent or other entity acting on the organization’s behalf, materially misrepresented the plan’s provisions in marketing the plan to the individual.

(F) The individual meets other exceptional conditions as the secretary may provide.

(3) The individual is 65 years of age or older, is enrolled with a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) provider under Section 1894 of the federal Social Security Act, and circumstances similar to those described in paragraph (2) exist that would permit discontinuance of the individual’s enrollment with the provider, if the individual were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.

(4) The individual meets both of the following conditions:

(A) The individual is enrolled with any of the following:

(i) An eligible organization under a contract under Section 1876 of the federal Social Security Act (Medicare cost).

(ii) A similar organization operating under demonstration project authority, effective for periods before April 1, 1999.

(iii) An organization under an agreement under Section 1833(a)(1)(A) of the federal Social Security Act (health care prepayment plan).

(iv) An organization under a Medicare Select policy.

(B) The enrollment ceases under the same circumstances that would permit discontinuance of an individual’s election of coverage under paragraph (2) or (3).

(5) The individual is enrolled under a Medicare supplement policy, and the enrollment ceases because of any of the following circumstances:

(A) The insolvency of the issuer or bankruptcy of the nonissuer organization, or other involuntary termination of coverage or enrollment under the policy.

(B) The issuer of the policy substantially violated a material provision of the policy.

(C) The issuer, or an agent or other entity acting on the issuer’s behalf, materially misrepresented the policy’s provisions in marketing the policy to the individual.

(6) The individual meets both of the following conditions:

(A) The individual was enrolled under a Medicare supplement policy and terminates enrollment and subsequently enrolls, for the first time, with any Medicare Advantage organization under a Medicare Advantage plan under Medicare Part C, any eligible organization under a contract under Section 1876 of the federal Social Security Act (Medicare cost), any similar organization operating under demonstration project authority, any PACE provider under Section 1894 of the federal Social Security Act, or a Medicare Select policy.

(B) The subsequent enrollment under subparagraph (A) is terminated by the individual during any period within the first 12 months of the subsequent enrollment (during which the enrollee is permitted to terminate the subsequent enrollment under Section 1851(e) of the federal Social Security Act).

(7) The individual upon first becoming eligible for benefits under Medicare Part A at 65 years of age enrolls in a Medicare Advantage plan under Medicare Part C or with a PACE provider under Section 1894 of the federal Social Security Act, and disenrolls from the plan or program not later than 12 months after the effective date of enrollment.

(8) The individual while enrolled under a Medicare supplement policy that covers outpatient prescription drugs enrolls in a Medicare Part D plan during the initial enrollment period terminates enrollment in the Medicare supplement policy, and submits evidence of enrollment in Medicare Part D along with the application for a policy described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (e).

(c)

(1) In the case of an individual described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), the guaranteed issue period begins on the later of the following two dates and ends on the date that is 63 days after the date the applicable coverage terminates:

(A) The date the individual receives a notice of termination or cessation of all supplemental health benefits or, if no notice is received, the date of the notice denying a claim because of a termination or cessation of benefits.

(B) The date that the applicable coverage terminates or ceases.

(2) In the case of an individual described in paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (6), and (7) of subdivision (b) whose enrollment is terminated involuntarily, the guaranteed issue period begins on the date that the individual receives a notice of termination and ends 63 days after the date the applicable coverage is terminated.

(3) In the case of an individual described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (b), the guaranteed issue period begins on the earlier of the following two dates and ends on the date that is 63 days after the date the coverage is terminated:

(A) The date that the individual receives a notice of termination, a notice of the issuer’s bankruptcy or insolvency, or other similar notice if any.

(B) The date that the applicable coverage is terminated.

(4) In the case of an individual described in paragraph (2), (3), (6), or (7) of, or in subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (5) of, subdivision (b) who disenrolls voluntarily, the guaranteed issue period begins on the date that is 60 days before the effective date of the disenrollment and ends on the date that is 63 days after the effective date of the disenrollment.

(5) In the case of an individual described in paragraph (8) of subdivision (b), the guaranteed issue period begins on the date the individual receives notice pursuant to Section 1882(v)(2)(B) of the federal Social Security Act from the Medicare supplement issuer during the 60-day period immediately preceding the initial enrollment period for Medicare Part D and ends on the date that is 63 days after the effective date of the individual’s coverage under Medicare Part D.

(6) In the case of an individual described in subdivision (b) who is not included in this subdivision, the guaranteed issue period begins on the effective date of disenrollment and ends on the date that is 63 days after the effective date of disenrollment.

(d)

(1) In the case of an individual described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b), or deemed to be so described pursuant to this paragraph, whose enrollment with an organization or provider described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (6) of subdivision (b) is involuntarily terminated within the first 12 months of enrollment and who, without an intervening enrollment, enrolls with another such organization or provider, the subsequent enrollment shall be deemed to be an initial enrollment described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b).

(2) In the case of an individual described in paragraph (7) of subdivision (b), or deemed to be so described pursuant to this paragraph, whose enrollment with a plan or in a program described in paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) is involuntarily terminated within the first 12 months of enrollment and who, without an intervening enrollment, enrolls in another such plan or program, the subsequent enrollment shall be deemed to be an initial enrollment described in paragraph (7) of subdivision (b).

(3) For purposes of paragraphs (6) and (7) of subdivision (b), an enrollment of an individual with an organization or provider described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (6) of subdivision (b), or with a plan or in a program described in paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) shall not be deemed to be an initial enrollment under this paragraph after the two-year period beginning on the date on which the individual first enrolled with such an organization, provider, plan, or program.

(e)

(1) Under paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of subdivision (b), an eligible individual is entitled to a Medicare supplement policy that has a benefit package classified as Plan A, B, C, F (including a high deductible Plan F), K, L, M, or N offered by any issuer.

(2)

(A) Under paragraph (6) of subdivision (b), an eligible individual is entitled to the same Medicare supplement policy in which he or she was most recently enrolled, if available from the same issuer. If that policy is not available, the eligible individual is entitled to a Medicare supplement policy that has a benefit package classified as Plan A, B, C, F (including a high deductible Plan F), K, L, M, or N offered by any issuer.

(B) On and after January 1, 2006, an eligible individual described in this paragraph who was most recently enrolled in a Medicare supplement policy with an outpatient prescription drug benefit is entitled to a Medicare supplement policy that is available from the same issuer but without an outpatient prescription drug benefit or, at the election of the individual, has a benefit package classified as a Plan A, B, C, F (including high deductible Plan F), K, L, M, or N that is offered by any issuer.

(3) Under paragraph (7) of subdivision (b), an eligible individual is entitled to any Medicare supplement policy offered by any issuer.

(4) Under paragraph (8) of subdivision (b), an eligible individual is entitled to a Medicare supplement policy that has a benefit package classified as Plan A, B, C, F (including a high deductible Plan F), K, L, M, or N and that is offered and is available for issuance to a new enrollee by the same issuer that issued the individual’s Medicare supplement policy with outpatient prescription drug coverage.

(f)

(1) At the time of an event described in subdivision (b) by which an individual loses coverage or benefits due to the termination of a contract or agreement, policy, or plan, the organization that terminates the contract or agreement, the issuer terminating the policy, or the administrator of the plan being terminated, respectively, shall notify the individual of his or her rights under this section and of the obligations of issuers of Medicare supplement policies under subdivision (a). The notice shall be communicated contemporaneously with the notification of termination.

(2) At the time of an event described in subdivision (b) by which an individual ceases enrollment under a contract or agreement, policy, or plan, the organization that offers the contract or agreement, regardless of the basis for the cessation of enrollment, the issuer offering the policy, or the administrator of the plan, respectively, shall notify the individual of his or her rights under this section, and of the obligations of issuers of Medicare supplement policies under subdivision (a). The notice shall be communicated within 10 working days of the date the issuer received notification of disenrollment.

(g) An issuer shall refund any unearned premium that an insured paid in advance and shall terminate coverage upon the request of an insured.

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This web site is owned and maintained by Steve Shorr Insurance, which is solely responsible for its content. This site is not maintained by or affiliated with Covered California, and Covered California bears no responsibility for its content. The e-mail addresses and telephone numbers that appear throughout this site belong to Steve Shorr Insurance, and cannot be used to contact Covered California, directly, unless specifically stated. Steve Shorr is not a medical doctor, a tax accountant, or an attorney. The contents of this site are for informational purposes only. For more details, please read the site's Disclaimer, Visitor Agreement, and Privacy Statement.